


Warm and Fuzzy

by MyrddinDerwydd



Series: Misc Mass Effect Prompt Fills [14]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Gen, Gift Fic, Gift Giving, Holidays, Normandy-SR2, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:53:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28371951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyrddinDerwydd/pseuds/MyrddinDerwydd
Summary: Thane surprises Shepard with a gift, just as this is a gift for CelticKnot!Written for the Mass Effect Fanfiction Writers holiday fic exchange, 2020
Relationships: Thane Krios/Female Shepard, Thane Krios/Shepard
Series: Misc Mass Effect Prompt Fills [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668511
Comments: 8
Kudos: 13
Collections: MEFFW Secret Santa Exchange 2020





	Warm and Fuzzy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CelticKnot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticKnot/gifts).



Stars flickered by, bright points of light in an unending abyss of black that was only rarely broken by a nebula’s hazy glow. Some people thought it strange to have a window on a spaceship - a vulnerable point of sentimentality that the human portion of the  _ Normandy’s  _ design team had insisted was essential. The heavy, armored shutters on both observation windows was agreed upon as a necessary installation by both human and turian parties.

Shepard stretched her legs, re-crossing her ankles as she slouched back on the couch. A lump of ice clinked against her glass as she tipped back another slow sip of whiskey, staring at the retreating stars. 

She glanced at the second glass and the bottle on the side table, lips twitching up into a small, warm smile. The ever-present hum of the  _ Normandy’s  _ engines was the only sound in the empty room, but perhaps it wouldn’t be empty for long. 

\---

Thane gently deposited a large grey box in the small section of hallway outside Shepard’s quarters. He knelt smoothly, peering through the grated panel on the front of the box. 

“Mmm. EDI, please ensure that this package remains safe until I return,” Thane called out, knowing the AI monitored the entire ship. 

“Of course, Mr. Krios,” EDI’s smooth, metallic voice replied. “Is it the gift for Commander Shepard? You have been planning it for quite some time.”

“Yes. I hope she likes it.” He paused for the span of a breath. “I am not accustomed to choosing gifts, it has been years since it was necessary.”

“The various interspecies customs add a layer of complexity that many crew members find difficult to navigate, but still enjoyable.” EDI added. 

“I agree.” Thane slipped a red ribbon out of his pocket, swiftly tying a neat bow around the carrying handle on top of the box. “I find that the preparation is often part of the reward.” He stood smoothly, stepping into the lift a moment later, descending to the lower deck where Shepard was waiting in the observation lounge.

The door opened in front of Thane with a metallic swish, revealing Shepard, starkly silhouetted before the starry expanse of the Exodus cluster. His breath caught at the lovely, lonely sight.  _ Ah, Shepard. You brought the stars back home for me, made me care again.  _ His  _ siha _ glanced back over her shoulder as he entered the room, starlight outlining a warm smile and a sharp, fierce jawline. 

“Thane!” Shepard called out. “I was starting to wonder if you’d forgotten somehow.” 

“How could I forget?” Thane’s quiet laugh was warm with affection. He strode toward Shepard, loosing his hands from their customary clasp behind his back. “We meet here every other night,  _ siha.”  _

Shepard caught his hand, tugging him toward the couch, but he resisted, pulling her to her feet instead and wrapping an arm around her waist.

“No drinks tonight?” Shepard quirked an eyebrow at him, hip and thigh pressing against his, nearly empty glass of alcohol in her opposite hand. 

“May I?” Thane gestured at her glass. She nodded with an amused smirk, and he tossed back the whiskey in one smooth movement.  _ Strong, lovely, with a hard edge… much like Shepard. _ “I have heard many of the human crew talk of sharing gifts for holidays at this time of your planet’s year, so I took the liberty of acquiring something I thought you would like.” 

“You got me a holiday gift?” Shepard’s eyes caught the light as she grinned. “Thane, that’s so much sweeter than anyone else would have expected of you.” 

“Ah. True. But you know me well.” Thane pressed a gentle kiss to Shepard’s temple. “Would you like to see your gift?”

“Yes!” 

They reluctantly separated and made their way up to Shepard’s cabin. The lift door opened and Shepard immediately glanced between the large ribboned box and him. 

“Okay, that is a much bigger, stranger-looking box than I imagined.” 

Something moved in the box at Shepard’s words, followed by black fur poking through the mesh panel on the front of the box, and a warbling noise that humans called a ‘meow.’

Shepard darted toward the box, sliding onto her knees in front of the door as if diving for cover on the battlefield. “Ohmygodyougotmeacat!” The words blurred together, breaking the translator’s ability to parse the shocked, delighted sentence Shepard blurted out while staring into the box. 

“Meow?” The cat warbled again, returning to the front of the box after having briefly disappeared. 

The cabin door opened as Shepard tapped blindly on her omni-tool, picked up the box, and strode out of the hallway and into her quarters. The door swished closed in the gap behind her, hitting Thane’s well-placed boot before sliding back open. Shepard stared at him, one eyebrow raised above a wide grin. 

“Come on! Close the door so I can let her out.” She plunked the box onto the floor behind her desk chair. “Is it a girl? It doesn’t matter.” Shepard opened the front of the box as soon as the door closed again. The cat streaked out of the box, eight pounds of sleek black fluff that Shepard caught deftly.

“Yes, and she appears to be quite swift,” Thane mused. “I am glad that I waited to allow you to open the box.” 

Shepard stood, stroking the squirming cat in her arms. It peered over her shoulder, white paws and bright red collar contrasting starkly against the rest of her fur. 

“This is amazing,” Shepard stepped in and pressed a quick kiss to his lips, “but what in the stars made you think to get me a cat, Thane? I haven’t had a cat since I was a kid. And we’re on a warship!” She pulled a face. “Sort of.” 

Thane stroked the cat’s fur with one finger.  _ They are like small black  _ 'asada,  _ a jungle predator from Kahje. Much smaller though. _ ‘Asada  _ can take down a skilled drell hunter.  _ Shepard was clearly attempting to snuggle the cat, which insistently slipped free of her hands and bounded to the floor. He wrapped his arms around Shepard’s waist from behind, enjoying the warmth of her body as they watched the small black cat stalk around the room. 

“You are often lonely, are you not?” Shepard hummed a noncommittal noise in response. “Here in this spartan cabin, even out there on the battlefield. You are a fierce warrior,  _ siha.  _ An angel… and a leader.” He breathed in the scent of her as she shrugged.  _ Cinnamon, gun oil, a hint of the whiskey. _

“Thane…” Shepard sighed, leaning back against his chest and resting her arms atop his. “Yeah. Yeah, you know I am. Too much crazy shit has happened to me. I  _ have _ to be able to stand alone.” She grinned and nodded her chin at the cat, which was stretching up to paw at a light on the wall. “Cats are very independent too, did you know that?”

“Yes. Though I also took the liberty of acquiring a reasonably complete home for her, given your dislike for the…” Thane flicked his eyes sideways at the large aquarium and its complement of 3 plants and two snails. He blinked into a memory, only a few weeks old.  _ Shepard glares at the dead fish, reaching through the access panel above the tank. Blue light reflected on her face. Her chestplate lies on the floor, grimy and spattered with mercenary blood. Still half armored. Gloved hand. Grabs an orange and white fish by its head. Storming over to the waste disposal. He stifles a smile.  _ Thane’s attention snapped back to the present, the corner of his mouth turning up in a wry smile. “The complexity of keeping the fish tank.” 

“Aww, turning up the warm and fuzzy feelings and then reminding me of those poor dead fish?” Shepard’s wry humor was familiar. “At least I can take care of this little one more easily than the clownfish.” 

The cat took that opportune moment to dash across the room and leap into Shepard’s arms, making both of them scramble a little to catch her. She propped her forefeet on Shepard’s shoulder again, peering intently into Thane’s face, long whiskers twitching. He stared back just as intently.  _ Yes, you are definitely independent, little one.  _

“She will be good for you, I think. I will care for her as well  _ siha _ , if you will allow it.”

“Of course, Void will love the attention.” The cat began rubbing its head insistently against Shepard’s jaw and purring.  _ Another sound I would not expect from a tiny predator. _

“Void?” He asked. “You have chosen a name?”

“Yep.” Shepard nodded against the cat’s fur. “Like a black hole.”

“Well. Consider Void under my protection,” Thane replied with a soft, fierce smile.  _ Warm and fuzzy feelings. A good description of this night. _

The warm and fuzzy 'Void' bounded over his shoulder to explore the desk, bringing more laughter - and decidedly less loneliness. 


End file.
